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Minneapolis And The Minnesota Twins Make A Pitch For the All-Star GameA successful RNC positions Minneapolis to attract national events

Sept. 10, 2008 – (MINNEAPOLIS) – Mayor R.T. Rybak, Minnesota Twins President Dave St. Peter, and Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer Tony Oliva, joined by representatives of the Minnesota Twins, the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Meet Minneapolis and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, today announced plans to make a pitch to host Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game in 2014.

“Last week Minneapolis was in the international spotlight as we hosted the Republican National Convention, and more than 45,000 visitors to our city,” said Mayor Rybak. “Today we are turning that momentum into new opportunities to showcase our city to the world, and play host to among the nation’s top events.”

“Working with Major League Baseball to secure an upcoming All Star Game is a top priority for the Minnesota Twins organization,” said Dave St. Peter, president of the Minnesota Twins. “The Twins have a successful history of hosting the mid-summer classic and with our new, world-class ballpark opening in 2010, we know we can hit a homerun for this community and for Major League Baseball.”

The All-Star game is the anchor of All-Star Week, a week of events and festivities that attract tens of thousands of baseball fans from across the United States. Like the Republican National Convention, the events also attract significant media attention. As many as 2,000 sports and travel journalists cover the events and again bring the national spotlight to Minneapolis and all it has to offer business and leisure travelers. An All-Star Game at the new stadium would be the first in Minneapolis since 1985.

“Last week was without a doubt a big ‘win,’ it was also a try out as the eyes of meeting planners, attendees, delegates and journalists experienced how we hosted a convention of such size and high-visibility," said Melvin Tennant, president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis. "We showed repeatedly and consistently that Minneapolis has the infrastructure of hotels, transportation options and entertainment outlets to make the city an attractive site for major meetings and events. A successful pitch and win for the All-Star Game could potentially mean more than $50 million in economic impact for the Minneapolis."

Minneapolis Saint Paul’s successful hosting the RNC is among the most significant achievements in the convention industry, and gives Minneapolis a major stepping stone to book other major events. Meet Minneapolis officials are currently pursuing a number of major events and conventions, including the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four, the National Education Association, the Rotary International, and the Meeting Planners International. Combined those four events could bring nearly 100,000 visitors to Minneapolis Saint Paul.

Each year, Meet Minneapolis hosts dozens of events at the Minneapolis Convention Center and area hotels. These events are a major economic benefit to Minneapolis and the entire region. In 2009, a total of 89 conventions and meetings will bring $255.9 million in direct economic impact – spending by attendees. Next year’s highlights include the NCAA First and Second Round Men’s Basketball, the International Reading Association, the Lion’s Club International, and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs.

HOST COMMITTEE AND CITIES DECLARE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION A SUCCESS AS 45,000 VISITORS TAKE IN THE SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND CULTURE OF MINNEAPOLIS SAINT PAUL

More than 8 Billion Media Impressions Calculated So Far

MINNEAPOLIS SAINT PAUL, MINN. (September 5, 2008) – The Minneapolis Saint Paul 2008 Host Committee, Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Bloomington Mayor Gene Winstead declared the 2008 Republican National Convention a success as tens of thousands of people enjoyed all that Minneapolis, Saint Paul and the surrounding suburbs have to offer. So far, national and international media exposure has produced more than 8 billion media impressions, the equivalent of a $330 million ad campaign.*

“We truly rolled out the red carpet for tens of thousands of delegates, media and visitors during the 2008 Republican National Convention and the reviews have been spectacular,” said Jeff Larson, CEO of the Minneapolis Saint Paul 2008 Host Committee. “As we’ve said all along, the exposure from this Convention is truly priceless. The coverage we’ve received so far is the equivalent of purchasing 122 Super Bowl ads.”

While the Convention was held September 1-4 at the Xcel Energy Center, official events began with the grand opening of CivicFest: A Very Minnesota Celebration at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Friday, August 29. The pre-Convention weekend brought many events including spark24, a 24-hour marathon of cultural performances; a media party that showcased the Minneapolis riverfront, the Guthrie Theater and the Mill City Museum; and a delegate party held in CivicFest – an interactive show featuring 35 world-class exhibits celebrating Minnesota and American history, democracy and the U.S. presidency.

“This Convention provided an amazing opportunity for us to show the world that this is a great place to live, work and start a business,” Coleman said. “We are confident that people will leave here with a positive impression and that they will want to come back.”

More than 45,000 people, including 15,000 media from around the world, came to Minneapolis Saint Paul for the Convention. From MSNBC doing ’round-the-clock coverage in Rice Park to “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” broadcasting from the Minnesota History Theatre, images of Minneapolis Saint Paul were seen around the globe.

“Minneapolis Saint Paul showed the thousands of visitors to the 2008 Republican National Convention that our state is beautiful, cultural, hospitable and smart,” Rybak said. “The community truly rallied to put on hundreds of events to show off our best face and they showed the world what it means to be Minnesota Nice.”

Convention goers also ventured beyond Minneapolis Saint Paul to shop at Mall of America as well as visit attractions in the surrounding suburbs.

“We have welcomed thousands of people to Bloomington and the Mall of America has been full of activity since last week,” Winstead said. “This has been an amazing boost to our city’s economy and we are thrilled with the results.”

Here are just a few facts and figures:

· From CNN to Italian TV, 15,000 journalists from around the globe came to Minneapolis Saint Paul to set up shop in and around the Saint Paul RiverCentre to cover the Convention.

· Approximately 16,000 rooms in nearly 100 hotels were booked in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Bloomington and the surrounding suburbs.

· Hotel occupancy rates in downtown Minneapolis ranged from 90 percent to 95 percent compared to 50 percent to 60 percent during the same period over the last few years. Hotel occupancy rates in Saint Paul also were 90 percent to 95 percent compared to 70 percent.

· 25,000 “Wish You Were Here” postcards were mailed to Convention attendees’ friends and families, compliments of the Xcel Energy Center.

· Approximately 100 local entertainment acts performed at more than 60 venues during spark24, a 24-hour marathon of free entertainment that showcased the best of the world-class arts scene of Minneapolis Saint Paul. Around 1,000 people came to watch live bands from 2-6 a.m.

· About 10,000 people attended the Media Party, held August 30 on the Mississippi Riverfront between the Guthrie Theater and the Mill City Museum. Attendees dined on food prepared by local restaurants and caterers including: 2,300 ears of corn, 2,000 kobe beef sliders, 1,500 shrimp shooters and 16,000 hand-passed hors d’oeuvres. In addition, Pentair distributed 4,000 environmentally friendly water bottles.

· More than 9,000 people attended the Delegate party, held August 31 inside CivicFest: A Very Minnesota Celebration, at the Minneapolis Convention Center and saw exhibits about Minnesota business and innovation.

· Hundreds of people logged more than 700 miles running, biking and swimming in the More to Tri Fitness Challenge – a three-day “triathlon” that showcased Minneapolis Saint Paul’s urban green landscape and highlighted the cities’ commitment to healthy and active lifestyles.

· Nearly 2,000 people utilized bikes that were provided by Bikes Belong, a bicycle industry trade association dedicated to bicycle advocacy, to experience the city. In total, bicyclists logged about 13,000 miles and burned 400,000 calories. Their efforts also had a carbon footprint reduction of 4.5 metric tons.

· More than 344 buses transported delegates and visitors using 26 routes to various locations. More than 847 cabs participated in reciprocity between Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

· 45,000 visitors were personally greeted at MSP International Airport by Minnesota volunteers.

· 65,000 snack boxes were provided by General Mills and distributed at MSP International Airport and hotels.

· In addition to 3,000 Minneapolis Saint Paul press kits and 5,000 Xcel Energy Center RNC 2008 lapel pins, more than 150 pounds of Frango mints, nearly 100 pounds of Jelly Bellies and about 110 pounds of peanuts were distributed to the media by the Host Committee Media Resource Center during the four-day Convention.

*Media values are estimates based on calculations from a standard formula used to calculate impressions and ad equivalency. This formula takes the circulation total and multiplies that number by 2.5 to come up with the media impressions. That number is then multiplied by .04 to get an estimated ad equivalency.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT JOHN MCCAIN'S ADDRESS TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

John McCain -- "The Maverick"

Boston Globe: John McCain Accepted His Nomination "With A Promise To Shake Up Washington." "Senator John McCain, returning to the themes that saved his once flailing presidential quest, last night accepted the Republican nomination with a promise to shake up Washington with a bipartisan strategy and patriotic flair, warning political stalwarts that 'change is coming.'" (Susan Milligan, "A Pledge Of Bipartisanship," Boston Globe, 9/5/08)

The New York Post: "John McCain Last Night Returned To His Maverick Roots." "Having comfortably shored up the Republican base with Sarah Palin, John McCain last night returned to his maverick roots - accepting the party's nomination with an appeal to the moderates and independents outside the party who've been the foundation of his political career." (Charles Hurt, "Rebel Reaches Beyond Party Lines," New York Post, 9/5/08)

· The New York Post: "And, equally incendiary among many conservatives, McCain regaled Republicans with tales of so many of his efforts at reaching across the aisle on thorny issues - which drove his colleagues bonkers." (Charles Hurt, "Rebel Reaches Beyond Party Lines," New York Post, 9/5/08)

· CBS' Jeff Glor: "John McCain Is A Republican Who During A Lot Of His Speech, Sounded Like An Independent, Stressing Above All That He's A Reformer." (CBS' "The Early Show," 9/5/08)

· CNN's David Gergen: John McCain Saying He Will Be "Your Warrior In Washington Worked For Him." "One, the recounting of his days in that prison. I don't think he's ever done it in quite so much detail before a large public audience. And it was moving and it helped set up very nicely the character point that Alex was making a few moments ago. People do vote to a significant degree upon the character of the candidates. And here, he was able to really underscore the argument. First I was a warrior overseas, now I'm going to be your warrior in Washington. And I thought that worked for him." (CNN's "CNN Election Center," 9/4/08)

· Fox News' Juan Williams: "And when he spoke about bipartisanship, again he said, 'I have the scars.' And I think that was a shot at Senator Obama, saying, you know, 'I really have been in the pits battling for immigration reforms and scarred by his own party.'" (Fox News' "American Election Headquarters," 9/4/08)

· The New York Times' David Brooks: John McCain's Passion For Change "Led To The Crescendo Of Raw Energy That Marked This Convention's Conclusion." "Through it all, he communicated his burning indignation at the way Washington has operated over the last 12 years. He communicated his intense passion to lift government to a plane the country deserves. He did note that he has fought to change the Republican Party during its period of decay. And he diagnosed that decay Thursday night (to the tepid applause of the faithful). And this passion for change, combined with his proven and evident integrity, led to the crescendo of raw energy that marked this convention's conclusion." (David Brooks, "A Glimpse Of The New," The New York Times, 9/5/08)

· The Washington Post: Sen. McCain Offered Himself As An "Imperfect Servant Who Will Never Surrender In His Fight To Change Washington." "Sen. John McCain of Arizona completed a long and often improbable journey to the Republican presidential nomination Thursday night, offering himself as an 'imperfect servant' who will never surrender in his fight to change Washington and the country." (Robert Barnes, "'Change Is Coming,' McCain Says," The Washington Post, 9/5/08)

· The Washington Post: John McCain "Burnished His Reputation As A Truth-Teller In Congress." "He burnished his reputation as a truth-teller in Congress, telling delegates he had 'fought corruption, and it didn't matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. They violated their public trust, and had to be held accountable.'" (Robert Barnes, "'Change Is Coming,' McCain Says," The Washington Post, 9/5/08)

· The Wall Street Journal: John McCain Pledged To "Rise Above Washington's Acrimony." "Sen. John McCain claimed the Republican party nomination he has sought for almost a decade by pledging to rise above Washington's acrimony as president and strike a new tone by reaching across partisan divides." (Gerald Seib and Laura Meckler, "McCain Vows End To 'Rancor,' Betting On Maverick Appeal," The Wall Street Journal, 9/5/08)

The Wall Street Journal Editorial: John McCain "Remains A Formidable Contender Because He Can Credibly Claim To Be A Reformer." "Yet Mr. McCain remains a formidable contender -- in part because of his opponent's weaknesses, but also because he can credibly claim to be a reformer who often fought his party's worst instincts, notably on spending and immigration." (Editorial, "The McCain Change," The Wall Street Journal, 9/5/08)

· CNN's Anderson Cooper: John McCain "Offered More Specifics Than We Heard" From Barack Obama. "But certainly from John McCain, we heard in his acceptance speech, a lot of specifics, arguably more specific than we heard in Barack Obama's acceptance speech. After several nights, where many commentators said were lacking in specifics." (CNN's, "CNN Election Center," 9/4/08)

· CNN's Campbell Brown: John McCain Spoke About The Economy "In A Very Personalized Way." "Yes, I think you're right. And there was all this talk I think before the speech about how much he needed to focus on the economy because that's perceived by many to be his weakness. And I thought when he went through it at the beginning, he did it in a very personalized way or a way in which he tried to say to people, telling people stories individually, I feel your pain, I connect with you, I hear you, which had been one of the criticisms going into those." (CNN's, "CNN Election Center," 9/4/08)

· The Wall Street Journal: John McCain "Spoke Bluntly And At Length Of The Economic Concerns Of Middle-Income Americans." "Substantively, Sen. McCain, whose strength as a candidate is his national-security experience and expertise, spoke bluntly and at length of the economic concerns of middle-income Americans -- directly taking on the theme Sen. Obama increasingly has made the centerpiece of his campaign." (Gerald Seib and Laura Meckler, "McCain Vows End To 'Rancor,' Betting On Maverick Appeal," The Wall Street Journal, 9/5/08)

Rich Lowry: John McCain Is "Exactly Where Ne Heeds To Be." "But as a basis of the fall campaign, it puts McCain exactly where he needs to be - Johnny the Fighter, on a last mission to protect the people's interest in Washington." (Rich Lowry, "The Right Themes," New York Post, 9/5/08)

· The Denver Post Editorial: "As McCain Left The Stage, He Left A Republican Party That Was Not Only United Behind His Candidacy But Suddenly Thrilled By It." (Editorial, "McCain Reaches To The Middle," Denver Post, 9/5/08)

· NBC's David Gregory: "Senator McCain Emerges From This Convention The Head Of A More United And Enthusiastic Republican Party." (NBC's "Today," 9/5/08)

· Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol: "I Would Say They Have Come Out Of These Two Weeks In Pretty Good Shape Going Into The Final Two Months." (FOX News' "On The Record," 9/4/08)

John McCain Energizes

FOX News' Megyn Kelly: "Intense Reaction" From The Crowd. "I'll tell you, watching this crowd during John McCain's speech, they had an intense reaction to him, Brit. They were very focused on every word he said. You got the sense that they wanted to love him. It wasn't the kind of love that may have been there initially, but they were rooting for him, and I tell you what, as the speech went on, he got them." (Fox News' "American Election Headquarters," 9/4/08)

The New York Post: John McCain "Had The GOP Faithful On Their Feet." "McCain had the GOP faithful on their feet when he vowed to wean America off foreign oil." (Carl Campanile, "Fierce War Cry For McChange," New York Post, 9/5/08)

The Denver Post Editorial: John McCain "Brought The Crowd In St. Paul To Its Feet." "But toward the end of his speech, as he implored delegates and Americans to stand up and fight with him to fight 'for what's right for our country .. for our children's future' McCain brought the crowd in St. Paul to its feet." (Editorial, "McCain Reaches To The Middle," Denver Post, 9/5/08)

John McCain's Powerful Life Story Of Serving This Country

Boston Globe: John McCain "Spoke Movingly" About His Life Story. "McCain spoke movingly about his years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, and how it changed him from a selfish and brash young man to a mature 'servant' of his country. 'I've never lived a day, in good times or in bad, that I don't thank God for that privilege,' he said." (Susan Milligan, "A Pledge Of Bipartisanship," Boston Globe, 9/5/08)

Larry Sabato: "The strength of that speech was the biography part of it because it's so powerful, that story about his time in the prisoner-of-war camp. I thought he was also very credible again in his role as a maverick. That's the real John McCain. Look, do you know, this is the first time ever that I can remember or know about in history that a party nominee condemned in part his own party? He went after congressional Republicans in particular for overspending. That was all very credible." (FOX News' "America's Newsroom," 9/5/08)

The New York Post: John McCain "Ended In A Patriotic Flourish." "McCain, sounding Churchillian, ended in a patriotic flourish. He mentioned the word 'fight' or 'fighting' 24 times, with activists so fired up, they drowned out some of his lines. 'Fight for what's right for our country . . . Stand up, stand up. We're Americans and we never give up,' he said." (Carl Campanile, "Fierce War Cry For McChange," New York Post, 9/5/08)

Rich Lowry: John McCain "Joined His Traditional Theme Of Patriotic Service To A Message Of Change." "McCain joined his traditional theme of patriotic service to a message of change and work-a-day populism given new oomph by his pick of the GOP's new popular hero, Sarah Palin. He buttressed these themes with his personal narrative, of sacrifice in Vietnam and of service to country rather than party in Washington." (Rich Lowry, "The Right Themes," New York Post, 9/5/08)

The Rocky Mountain News Editorial: "Most Memorable, Deeply Felt And Authentic Moments Of His Speech Occurred When He Spoke Of His Love For His Country." "Without a doubt, though, the most memorable, deeply felt and authentic moments of his speech occurred when he spoke of his love for his country and dedication to the concept of service. And the reason is obvious: his utterly compelling life story, defined by captivity and torture in Vietnam." (Editorial, "McCain Brings Back The Maverick," The Rocky Mountain News, 9/5/08)

Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol: John McCain "Moving" At The End. "McCain's life speaks for itself, in the sense that the eloquence at the end of the speech was not eloquence in a way, it was just the facts of what had happened, narrated by McCain in a pretty straightforward way. It wasn't an artificially eloquent way, but it was moving." (FOX News' "On The Record," 9/4/08)

ST. PAUL – The following is a statement from Senator Norm Coleman regarding Senator John McCain’s acceptance of the Republicans nomination for President.

“This evening the American people are reminded of the call to duty of an American president nearly fifty years ago, who asked us all to do first for our country above all else. John McCain is the embodiment of country first, above all else, and for that, I am proud to be an American, and proud to support John McCain for President. In a dangerous world, we need the courage and leadership of John McCain. His bipartisan approach to solving problems, recognizing that some problems and challenges are just too big for one party, is something we need in today’s divisive political environment. John McCain will guide America through great challenges for the next four years with steady, proven hands and with the courage and convictions that we need from our national leaders in this 21st Century.”

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain will deliver the following remarks as prepared for delivery to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, today at 10:00 p.m. ET (9:00 p.m. CT):

Thank you all very much. Tonight, I have a privilege given few Americans -- the privilege of accepting our party's nomination for President of the United States. And I accept it with gratitude, humility and confidence.

In my life, no success has come without a good fight, and this nomination wasn't any different. That's a tribute to the candidates who opposed me and their supporters. They're leaders of great ability, who love our country, and wished to lead it to better days. Their support is an honor I won't forget.

I'm grateful to the President for leading us in those dark days following the worst attack on American soil in our history, and keeping us safe from another attack many thought was inevitable; and to the First Lady, Laura Bush, a model of grace and kindness in public and in private. And I'm grateful to the 41st President and his bride of 63 years, and for their outstanding example of honorable service to our country.

As always, I'm indebted to my wife, Cindy, and my seven children. The pleasures of family life can seem like a brief holiday from the crowded calendar of our nation's business. But I have treasured them all the more, and can't imagine a life without the happiness you give me. Cindy said a lot of nice things about me tonight. But, in truth, she's more my inspiration than I am hers. Her concern for those less blessed than we are -- victims of land mines, children born in poverty and with birth defects -- shows the measure of her humanity. I know she will make a great First Lady.

When I was growing up, my father was often at sea, and the job of raising my brother, sister and me would fall to my mother alone. Roberta McCain gave us her love of life, her deep interest in the world, her strength, and her belief we are all meant to use our opportunities to make ourselves useful to our country. I wouldn't be here tonight but for the strength of her character.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you, who helped me win this nomination, and stood by me when the odds were long. I won't let you down. To Americans who have yet to decide who to vote for, thank you for your consideration and the opportunity to win your trust. I intend to earn it.

Finally, a word to Senator Obama and his supporters. We'll go at it over the next two months. That's the nature of these contests, and there are big differences between us. But you have my respect and admiration. Despite our differences, much more unites us than divides us. We are fellow Americans, an association that means more to me than any other. We're dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal and endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. No country ever had a greater cause than that. And I wouldn't be an American worthy of the name if I didn't honor Senator Obama and his supporters for their achievement.

But let there be no doubt, my friends, we're going to win this election. And after we've won, we're going to reach out our hand to any willing patriot, make this government start working for you again, and get this country back on the road to prosperity and peace.

These are tough times for many of you. You're worried about keeping your job or finding a new one, and are struggling to put food on the table and stay in your home. All you ever asked of government is to stand on your side, not in your way. And that's just what I intend to do: stand on your side and fight for your future.

And I've found just the right partner to help me shake up Washington, Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska. She has executive experience and a real record of accomplishment. She's tackled tough problems like energy independence and corruption. She's balanced a budget, cut taxes, and taken on the special interests. She's reached across the aisle and asked Republicans, Democrats and Independents to serve in her administration. She's the mother of five children. She's helped run a small business, worked with her hands and knows what it's like to worry about mortgage payments and health care and the cost of gasoline and groceries.

She knows where she comes from and she knows who she works for. She stands up for what's right, and she doesn't let anyone tell her to sit down. I'm very proud to have introduced our next Vice President to the country. But I can't wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming.

I'm not in the habit of breaking promises to my country and neither is Governor Palin. And when we tell you we're going to change Washington, and stop leaving our country's problems for some unluckier generation to fix, you can count on it. We've got a record of doing just that, and the strength, experience, judgment and backbone to keep our word to you.

You know, I've been called a maverick; someone who marches to the beat of his own drum. Sometimes it's meant as a compliment and sometimes it's not. What it really means is I understand who I work for. I don't work for a party. I don't work for a special interest. I don't work for myself. I work for you.

I've fought corruption, and it didn't matter if the culprits were Democrats or Republicans. They violated their public trust, and had to be held accountable. I've fought big spenders in both parties, who waste your money on things you neither need nor want, while you struggle to buy groceries, fill your gas tank and make your mortgage payment. I've fought to get million dollar checks out of our elections. I've fought lobbyists who stole from Indian tribes. I fought crooked deals in the Pentagon. I fought tobacco companies and trial lawyers, drug companies and union bosses.

I fought for the right strategy and more troops in Iraq, when it wasn't a popular thing to do. And when the pundits said my campaign was finished, I said I'd rather lose an election than see my country lose a war.

Thanks to the leadership of a brilliant general, David Petreaus, and the brave men and women he has the honor to command, that strategy succeeded and rescued us from a defeat that would have demoralized our military, risked a wider war and threatened the security of all Americans.

I don't mind a good fight. For reasons known only to God, I've had quite a few tough ones in my life. But I learned an important lesson along the way. In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What you fight for is the real test.

I fight for Americans. I fight for you. I fight for Bill and Sue Nebe from Farmington Hills, Michigan, who lost their real estate investments in the bad housing market. Bill got a temporary job after he was out of work for seven months. Sue works three jobs to help pay the bills.

I fight for Jake and Toni Wimmer of Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Jake works on a loading dock; coaches Little League, and raises money for the mentally and physically disabled. Toni is a schoolteacher, working toward her Master's Degree. They have two sons, the youngest, Luke, has been diagnosed with autism. Their lives should matter to the people they elect to office. They matter to me.

I fight for the family of Matthew Stanley of Wolfboro, New Hampshire, who died serving our country in Iraq. I wear his bracelet and think of him every day. I intend to honor their sacrifice by making sure the country their son loved so well and never returned to, remains safe from its enemies.

I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us. We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption. We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger. We lost their trust when instead of freeing ourselves from a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, both parties and Senator Obama passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies. We lost their trust, when we valued our power over our principles.

We're going to change that. We're going to recover the people's trust by standing up again for the values Americans admire. The party of Lincoln, Roosevelt and Reagan is going to get back to basics.

We believe everyone has something to contribute and deserves the opportunity to reach their God-given potential from the boy whose descendents arrived on the Mayflower to the Latina daughter of migrant workers. We're all God's children and we're all Americans.

We believe in low taxes; spending discipline, and open markets. We believe in rewarding hard work and risk takers and letting people keep the fruits of their labor.

We believe in a strong defense, work, faith, service, a culture of life, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and judges who dispense justice impartially and don't legislate from the bench. We believe in the values of families, neighborhoods and communities.

We believe in a government that unleashes the creativity and initiative of Americans. Government that doesn't make your choices for you, but works to make sure you have more choices to make for yourself.

I will keep taxes low and cut them where I can. My opponent will raise them. I will open new markets to our goods and services. My opponent will close them. I will cut government spending. He will increase it.

My tax cuts will create jobs. His tax increases will eliminate them. My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.

Keeping taxes low helps small businesses grow and create new jobs. Cutting the second highest business tax rate in the world will help American companies compete and keep jobs from moving overseas. Doubling the child tax exemption from $3500 to $7000 will improve the lives of millions of American families. Reducing government spending and getting rid of failed programs will let you keep more of your own money to save, spend and invest as you see fit. Opening new markets and preparing workers to compete in the world economy is essential to our future prosperity.

I know some of you have been left behind in the changing economy and it often seems your government hasn't even noticed. Government assistance for unemployed workers was designed for the economy of the 1950s. That's going to change on my watch. My opponent promises to bring back old jobs by wishing away the global economy. We're going to help workers who've lost a job that won't come back, find a new one that won't go away.

We will prepare them for the jobs of today. We will use our community colleges to help train people for new opportunities in their communities. For workers in industries that have been hard hit, we'll help make up part of the difference in wages between their old job and a temporary, lower paid one while they receive retraining that will help them find secure new employment at a decent wage.

Education is the civil rights issue of this century. Equal access to public education has been gained. But what is the value of access to a failing school? We need to shake up failed school bureaucracies with competition, empower parents with choice, remove barriers to qualified instructors, attract and reward good teachers, and help bad teachers find another line of work.

When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the education of their children. And I intend to give it to them. Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have that choice and their children will have that opportunity.

Senator Obama wants our schools to answer to unions and entrenched bureaucracies. I want schools to answer to parents and students. And when I'm President, they will.

My fellow Americans, when I'm President, we're going to embark on the most ambitious national project in decades. We are going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much. We will attack the problem on every front. We will produce more energy at home. We will drill new wells offshore, and we'll drill them now. We will build more nuclear power plants. We will develop clean coal technology. We will increase the use of wind, tide, solar and natural gas. We will encourage the development and use of flex fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles.

Senator Obama thinks we can achieve energy independence without more drilling and without more nuclear power. But Americans know better than that. We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and to restore the health of our planet. It's an ambitious plan, but Americans are ambitious by nature, and we have faced greater challenges. It's time for us to show the world again how Americans lead.

This great national cause will create millions of new jobs, many in industries that will be the engine of our future prosperity; jobs that will be there when your children enter the workforce.

Today, the prospect of a better world remains within our reach. But we must see the threats to peace and liberty in our time clearly and face them, as Americans before us did, with confidence, wisdom and resolve.

We have dealt a serious blow to al Qaeda in recent years. But they are not defeated, and they'll strike us again if they can. Iran remains the chief state sponsor of terrorism and on the path to acquiring nuclear weapons. Russia's leaders, rich with oil wealth and corrupt with power, have rejected democratic ideals and the obligations of a responsible power. They invaded a small, democratic neighbor to gain more control over the world's oil supply, intimidate other neighbors, and further their ambitions of reassembling the Russian empire. And the brave people of Georgia need our solidarity and prayers. As President I will work to establish good relations with Russia so we need not fear a return of the Cold War. But we can't turn a blind eye to aggression and international lawlessness that threatens the peace and stability of the world and the security of the American people.

We face many threats in this dangerous world, but I'm not afraid of them. I'm prepared for them. I know how the military works, what it can do, what it can do better, and what it should not do. I know how the world works. I know the good and the evil in it. I know how to work with leaders who share our dreams of a freer, safer and more prosperous world, and how to stand up to those who don't. I know how to secure the peace.

When I was five years old, a car pulled up in front of our house. A Navy officer rolled down the window, and shouted at my father that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. I rarely saw my father again for four years. My grandfather came home from that same war exhausted from the burdens he had borne, and died the next day. In Vietnam, where I formed the closest friendships of my life, some of those friends never came home with me. I hate war. It is terrible beyond imagination.

I'm running for President to keep the country I love safe, and prevent other families from risking their loved ones in war as my family has. I will draw on all my experience with the world and its leaders, and all the tools at our disposal -- diplomatic, economic, military and the power of our ideals -- to build the foundations for a stable and enduring peace.

In America, we change things that need to be changed. Each generation makes its contribution to our greatness. The work that is ours to do is plainly before us. We don't need to search for it.

We need to change the way government does almost everything: from the way we protect our security to the way we compete in the world economy; from the way we respond to disasters to the way we fuel our transportation network; from the way we train our workers to the way we educate our children. All these functions of government were designed before the rise of the global economy, the information technology revolution and the end of the Cold War. We have to catch up to history, and we have to change the way we do business in Washington.

The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.

Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not.

Instead of rejecting good ideas because we didn't think of them first, let's use the best ideas from both sides. Instead of fighting over who gets the credit, let's try sharing it. This amazing country can do anything we put our minds to. I will ask Democrats and Independents to serve with me. And my administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability.

We're going to finally start getting things done for the people who are counting on us, and I won't care who gets the credit.

I've been an imperfect servant of my country for many years. But I have been her servant first, last and always. And I've never lived a day, in good times or bad, that I didn't thank God for the privilege.

Long ago, something unusual happened to me that taught me the most valuable lesson of my life. I was blessed by misfortune. I mean that sincerely. I was blessed because I served in the company of heroes, and I witnessed a thousand acts of courage, compassion and love.

On an October morning, in the Gulf of Tonkin, I prepared for my 23rd mission over North Vietnam. I hadn't any worry I wouldn't come back safe and sound. I thought I was tougher than anyone. I was pretty independent then, too. I liked to bend a few rules, and pick a few fights for the fun of it. But I did it for my own pleasure; my own pride. I didn't think there was a cause more important than me.

Then I found myself falling toward the middle of a small lake in the city of Hanoi, with two broken arms, a broken leg, and an angry crowd waiting to greet me. I was dumped in a dark cell, and left to die. I didn't feel so tough anymore. When they discovered my father was an admiral, they took me to a hospital. They couldn't set my bones properly, so they just slapped a cast on me. When I didn't get better, and was down to about a hundred pounds, they put me in a cell with two other Americans. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even feed myself. They did it for me. I was beginning to learn the limits of my selfish independence. Those men saved my life.

I was in solitary confinement when my captors offered to release me. I knew why. If I went home, they would use it as propaganda to demoralize my fellow prisoners. Our Code said we could only go home in the order of our capture, and there were men who had been shot down before me. I thought about it, though. I wasn't in great shape, and I missed everything about America. But I turned it down.

A lot of prisoners had it worse than I did. I'd been mistreated before, but not as badly as others. I always liked to strut a little after I'd been roughed up to show the other guys I was tough enough to take it. But after I turned down their offer, they worked me over harder than they ever had before. For a long time. And they broke me.

When they brought me back to my cell, I was hurt and ashamed, and I didn't know how I could face my fellow prisoners. The good man in the cell next door, my friend, Bob Craner, saved me. Through taps on a wall he told me I had fought as hard as I could. No man can always stand alone. And then he told me to get back up and fight again for our country and for the men I had the honor to serve with. Because every day they fought for me.

I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's.

I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need. My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it. And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.

If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you're disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and work to correct them. Enlist in our Armed Forces. Become a teacher. Enter the ministry. Run for public office. Feed a hungry child. Teach an illiterate adult to read. Comfort the afflicted. Defend the rights of the oppressed. Our country will be the better, and you will be the happier. Because nothing brings greater happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.

I'm going to fight for my cause every day as your President. I'm going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank Him: that I'm an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on earth, and with hard work, strong faith and a little courage, great things are always within our reach. Fight with me. Fight with me.

Fight for what's right for our country.

Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children's future.

Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.

Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We're Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - This evening Mrs. Cindy McCain will address the 2008 Republican National Convention. Mrs. McCain will speak about John McCain's character and love for his country and family. Her remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.

MRS. CINDY McCAIN

Thank you everyone.

John and I are so proud of them and so happy to have them here with us tonight.

Nothing has made me happier or more fulfilled in my life than being a mother.

But while John and I take great joy in having been able to spend time together this week as a family, our hearts go out to the thousands of families who have had to leave their homes once again due to devastating weather.

It is not only our natural instinct to rally to them, to lift them up with our prayers and come to their aid, it is also our duty to our country.

That duty is what brings me before you tonight. And it's much larger and more important than just me or John or any of us: It's the work of this great country calling us together - and there is no greater duty than that, no more essential task for our generation -- right now.

That's been very much on my mind these last few months as I traveled our country.

Each day, after the bands packed up, the speeches were done, and the camera lights darkened, I always came back to how blessed and honored I was to be part of our national conversation.

And in these times, when so many of our fellow Americans face difficult situations, what I saw moved me deeply.

Families worried about losing their homes.

Towns deserted by industries once at their center.

Mothers with no choice but to send their children to unsafe and underperforming schools.

But I have also seen the resilience of the American people. I've heard stirring stories of neighbor helping neighbor, of cities on one end of the country offering help to fellow citizens on the other.

Despite our challenges our hearts are still alive with hope and belief in our individual ability to make things right if only the Federal government would get itself under control and out of our way.

So tonight is also about renewing our commitment to one another.

Because this campaign is not about us. It's about our special and exceptional country.

And this convention celebrates a special and exceptional Republican Party ... the hand we feel on our shoulder belongs to Abraham Lincoln.

Our country was born amidst the struggle for freedom ... and our party arose from a great battle for human rights, dignity, and equality for all people. We give way to no one and no other party in that cause.

From its very birth, our party has been grounded in the notion of service, community and self-reliance ... and it's all tempered by an uniquely American faith in - and compassion for - each other's neighbors.

A helping hand and friendly support has always been our way. It's no surprise that Americans are the most generous people in history.

That generosity of spirit is in our national DNA. It's our way of doing things. It's how we view the world.

I was taught Americans can look at the world and ask either: what do other countries think of us ... or we can look at ourselves and ask: what would our forefathers make of us and what will our children say of us? That's a big challenge. In living up to it, we know the security and prosperity of our nation is about a lot more than just politics.

It also depends on personal commitment, a sense of history and a clear view of the future.

I know of no one who better defines how to do that ... whose life is a better example of how to go about that than the man I love and with whom I have shared almost 30 years of my life:

My husband, John McCain.

From the beginning of time, no matter how accomplished in other fields, women have always sought a husband with an eye to what kind of father that man would be.

Well, I hit a home run with John McCain!

I got the most marvelous husband and friend and confidant ... a source of strength and inspiration ... and also the best father you could ever imagine.

In that most sacred role, he brought to our children his great personal character ... his life-long example of honesty... and his steadfast devotion to honor.

He has shown the value of self-sacrifice by daily example and, above all... John showers us with the unconditional love and support every family dreams of. I know what his children say of him.

And his courageous service to America in war and peace leaves no doubt what our forefathers would make of him!

It's these virtues of character that led him to this campaign, to this moment.

John McCain is a steadfast man who will not break with our heritage ... no matter how demanding or dangerous the challenges at home or abroad.

And let's not be confused: these are perilous times, not just for America, but for freedom itself.

It's going to take someone of unusual strength and character - someone exactly like my husband - to lead us through the reefs and currents that lie ahead. I know John.

You can trust his hand at the wheel.

But you know what, I've always thought it's a good idea to have a woman's hand on the wheel as well.

So how about Governor Sarah Palin!

John has picked a reform-minded ... hockey-mommin' ... basketball shootin' ... moose huntin' ... fly-fishin' ... pistol-packing ... mother of five for vice president. And as a fellow hockey mom myself and a western conservative mother, I couldn't be prouder that John has shaken things up as he usually does!

No one can do the job alone. And that's why I'm glad John will have Governor Palin by his side.

We all to have work together ... build consensus - the way John has done all his life.

His leadership inspires and empowers ... and places ultimate success in all our hands.

Ronald Reagan was fond of saying, "with freedom goes responsibility -- a responsibility that can only be met by the individual himself."

I have been witness to great service and sacrifice - to lives lived with humility and grace.

In World War II, my father's B-17 was shot down three times. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

But he was quiet about that... and never claimed to have done more than his small share.

Just like my husband.

I think John was a hero in Vietnam.

But he thinks it was just his turn.

Our son, Jack, will graduate from the United States Naval Academy next year - fourth generation - ready to do his service.

And our son Jimmy - a lance corporal in the Marine Corps - served honorably in Iraq ... as hundreds of thousands of other young men and women just like him are doing for America and freedom everywhere.

The stakes were never more clear to me, than the morning I watched my son Jimmy strap on his weapons and board a bus headed for harm's way.

I was born and raised in the American West and will always see the world through the prism of its values.

My Father was a true "Western Gentleman."

He rose from hardscrabble roots to realize the American dream.

With only a few borrowed dollars in his pocket, a strong back and a can-do spirit, he built a great life for his family.

His handshake was his solemn oath. He looked you straight in the eye and he always believed the best of you unless you gave him good cause not to.

Modest and good-natured, he had deep roots in our American soil.

He taught me life is not just about you - it's also about nurturing the next generation ... preparing a better world for all our children and helping them find the right way up.

We all come to that knowledge in different ways. For me, the great moment of clarity came when I became a mother.

Something changed in me, and I would never see my obligations the same way.

It was after that, I was walking through the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, surrounded by terrible poverty and the devastation of a cyclone.

All around me were the children, and the desperate faces of their mothers. The pain was overwhelming ... and I felt helpless.

But then I visited an orphanage begun by Mother Teresa, and two very sick little girls captured my heart.

There was something I could do. I could take them home.

And so I did.

Today both of those girls are healthy and happy. And one of them you just met: our beautiful daughter, Bridget.

Much is expected of a country as blessed as America ... and our people are at work all over the globe ... making it a better planet ... doing their part.

It was my privilege to work with the men and women of the American Voluntary Medical Teams in places like Zaire, Micronesia and Vietnam ... watching as they relieved whole towns from disease ... and rescued countless children from sickness.

The reward for sharing in that work is truly indescribable.

To see a child rescued from a life in the shadows by Operation Smile is to witness and share a joy that is life-changing.

And the challenges go on.

I just returned from the Republic of Georgia, where HALO Trust - an organization specializing in clearing the debris of war - and others, are rescuing innocent victims from landmines and missiles.

Sometimes the courage of others leaves me breathless.

I only need to speak the word Rwanda and the images it conjures are beyond description.

In my box tonight is Ernestine, a woman, a friend, a mother like myself, whom I met in Kigali.

She suffered unimaginable horrors and was made to watch appalling havoc wreaked on her family.

Yet, as the violence in her country subsides, she doesn't seek retribution -- instead, she offers love and seeks reconciliation for her people.

She says, simply, "It's time to move on for me and my country."

Ernestine, would you please stand up?

Your courage is humbling. Your forgiveness is healing. You are my hero.

Forgiveness is not just a personal issue: it's why John led the effort to normalize relations with Vietnam ... to retrieve the remains of our MIAs... to bring closure to both sides.

That's leadership - national leadership. And it's leading by example.

The Presidential contest will begin in earnest when this convention closes.

If Americans want straight talk and the plain truth they should take a good close look at John McCain ... a man tested and true ... ... who's never wavered in his devotion to our country ... ... a man who's served in Washington without ever becoming a Washington insider... ... who always speaks the truth no matter what the cost... ... a man of judgment and character ... ... a loyal and loving and true husband and a magnificent father!

This is a good man, a worthy man ... I know.

I have loved him with all my heart for almost 30 years ... and I humbly recommend him to you tonight as our nominee for the next President of the United States!

I'm so grateful to have had the chance to speak with you tonight ... and for the honor you are about to grant my husband -- and, indeed, our entire family. I promise you I will work every day to help John strengthen our freedom ... to serve this great country with the honor, dignity and the love it deserves ... from each and every generation it blesses.

May God bless all of you: ... our beloved America ... the citizens of the Gulf Coast ... and all the sons and daughters serving this great country around the world tonight.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - This evening U.S. Sen. John McCain will accept the Republican Party’s nomination for President of the United States. Excerpts from Sen. McCain’s acceptance speech, as prepared for delivery, are below.

On running mate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin:

"I’m very proud to have introduced our next Vice President to the country. But I can’t wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming."

On solving problems in Washington:

"The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn’t a cause, it’s a symptom. It’s what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.

Again and again, I’ve worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That’s how I will govern as President. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not."

On love of country:

"I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn’t my own man anymore. I was my country’s."

On Americans' duty to their country:"That duty is what brings me before you tonight. And it's much larger and more important than just me or John or any of us: It's the work of this great country calling us together - and there is no greater duty than that, no more essential task for our generation -- right now."

On John McCain's character: "It's going to take someone of unusual strength and character - someone exactly like my husband - to lead us through the reefs and currents that lie ahead. I know John. You can trust his hand at the wheel."

On John McCain leading by example:"Forgiveness is not just a personal issue: it's why John led the effort to normalize relations with Vietnam retrieve the remains of our MIAs... to bring closure to both sides. That's leadership - national leadership. And it's leading by example."

Personal reflections on John McCain:"If Americans want straight talk and the plain truth they should take a good close look at John McCain...a man tested and true...who's never wavered in his devotion to our country...a man who's served in Washington without ever becoming a Washington insider...who always speaks the truth no matter what the cost...a man of judgment and character...a loyal and loving and true husband and a magnificent father!"